ZXSA-023 Raven-class
The ZXSA-023 Raven-class is an Echelon carrier appearing in Mobile Suit Storm Gundam. Technology & Combat Characteristics Built as a carrier with stealth capabilities for Echelon, the Raven-class serves as a long range mobile suit carrier and can function as a support vessel during combat. Despite its shortcomings in firepower, the ship is quite capable of tipping combat in its favour with a variety of stealth systems to render enemy weapons ineffective. Particle Siphon System In order to increase power to the ship's weapons the Raven can draw power from the Pulse Drives installed on board each suit. When required, the siphon is connected to the back of the machine by a maintenance team and SR particles are drawn from the suit's drive. As the system is not fully efficient the siphon connection does not equate to a full additional drive being connected, however the weapons system still benefits from a larger SR particle supply. Sensor Disruption Field Raven-class carrier are equipped with several anti-sensor systems in order to minimize enemy fire. The main parts of this system include a magnetic field generator which jams enemy radar through active cancellation, this method disables enemy radar by broadcasting radio waves of the same frequency. The ship can also emit an optical distortion field which bend focused beams of light away from the ship, while this is not powerful enough to create a full optical camouflage effect, it does prevent laser guided weapons from properly gaining a lock on the ship. Despite the system's power, it cannot prevent manual targeting or stop systems relying on optical sensors, a unit may also be able to nullify the effects of the system if they manage to close in enough. Armaments ;*Light SR Beam Cannon :Primarily used for deterring mobile suits as well as targeting specific areas in anti-ship combat. ;*SR Beam Gatling Gun :Multiple rapid fire beam weapons are mounted on various points of the ship, allowing a total field of suppressive fire and missile interception. ;*Twin-Linked Heavy SR Beam Cannon :The Raven's heaviest weapons are two dual SR cannons mounted on port and starboard weapon banks. Each one is equipped with its own independent sensor suite integrated into the cannon, this gives the weapon greater accuracy and efficiency. System Features ;*Mobile Suit Drive Siphon :The hangar contains a connection system which allows the Raven-class to enhance its weapon strength by drawing power from the suits' own Pulse Drives. This configuration renders the suit temporarily unable to be sent out without being decoupled by a maintenance team first. :Each MS bay in the hangar has a large connector which is mounted onto the back of mobile suit, linking it to the ship via specialised plug in the suit's back. This process requires the machine is secured to the bay and that a maintenance team to connect the siphon. ;*Sensor Disruption Field :In order to evade target lock by enemy systems, the Raven-class carrier can make use of a powerful ECM system which prevents a wide range of sensors from properly scanning the ship. This consists of a powerful active cancellation radar jamming array as well as an optical distortion generator. While the optical distortion is not powerful enough to render the ship invisible, it does prevent laser guided weapons from locking onto the ship and causes the guided weapons to veer off course. History First Appearance An unknown Raven-class ship was initially encountered near the Athena research base near Lagrange 2 carrying a squadron of MSE-008 Raptor mobile suits. The suits were quickly dispatched by Storm, Sunflare and Cascade before the Storm and Cascade gundams managed to disable the ship's engines. The ship self-destructed before it could be boarded and the crew captured, the remaining wreckage was salvaged by the research teams and used to gather intelligence on the enemy. Reckoning A second carrier, the ZXSA-023/IX Reckoning, was dispatched to destroy the base as well as the Project Storm units. This particular ship was commanded by Daniel Baker and temporarily served as Sael Lestoire's carrier. While it succeeded in destroying the base, it did not manage to stop the research team from escaping while locked in battle with the Broadsword. Notes & Trivia See Also Category:Solar Era Ships & Support Units Category:Mobile Suit Storm Gundam